HOLLAND V. OTERO
Mr. Holland is a a 47-year-old Black man with multiple physical, cognitive, and psychological disabilities who suffered a brutal beating and repeated TASER stuns inflicted by Houston Police Department officers during a traffic stop. At the time of the attack, Mr. Holland was driving his legally-blind nephew to the corner store.
On January 29, 2025, Peoples’ Counsel attorneys filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court to hold six Houston Police Department officers responsible for violating Mr. Holland’s Fourth Amendment right to be free from excessive force.
JAN 2025 | MR. HOLLAND SUES FOR EXCESSIVE FORCE
FROM THE COMPLAINT:
“Plaintiff Terrence Holland brings this 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action against Antonio Jose Otero,
Aaron Parr, and Lucia Gracia—three officers of the Houston Police Department (“HPD”) who, after stopping Mr. Holland for a minor traffic violation, brutally beat him and repeatedly drive-stunned him with a TASER.Mr. Holland also brings claims against HPD Officer R. Hernandez and former HPD Officer Julian M. Montemayor, who made no effort to stop their colleagues’ brutal attack, and Sergeant John C. Fisher, who conspired to help cover up his subordinates’ misconduct. Defendants nonetheless used overwhelming and excessive force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment and HPD’s official policy. Defendants had no reason to believe that Mr. Holland—a disabled Black man who stands five feet and five inches tall—posed any threat. On the contrary, Mr. Holland was unarmed, had already been searched, and had his hands raised in a gesture of surrender when Defendants tackled him to the ground.
At the time of Defendants’ assault, Mr. Holland suffered from multiple disabilities, including chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mr. Holland’s PTSD has persisted continuously ever since. This disability prevented him from vindicating his rights within the two-year period following Defendants’ assault.”
CURRENT STATUS
From April through August 2025 Defendants filed motions to dismiss Mr. Holland’s lawsuit. Mr. Holland and his team have fought back at every turn, urging the court to give Mr. Holland the chance to vindicate his rights. No decisions have yet been rendered.
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